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US 6,196,756 B1Granted
Releasable fastener assembly for preferred use in a vehicle
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorEric Leverger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The article includes a first piece (7) provided with two flexible lugs adopting, in the absence of any force, a position of rest in which they can, over a certain length, be inserted without effort into an opening (6) in a support (1), and a second piece (30) having a fixing foot (32) adapted to cooperate with the first piece so that the fixing foot can be inserted through the first piece (7) as far as a configuration of locking on the support in which the fixing foot (32) keeps the flexible lugs on the first piece (7) separated and in which the first and second pieces (7, 30) are snapped into each other.
Claims9
A fastener article adapted to be fixed blind on a support provided with an opening of predetermined contour, comprising:
- a) a first piece (7) having:
- i) two flexible lugs (9A, 9B) each structured, in the absence of any force acting thereon, over a predetermined length as measured from a free end thereof, to be inserted without effort into the opening (6) in the support (1), each lug being moveable in the opening into a position of locking on the support (1),
- ii) a stop (15) for bearing against the support (1) when the predetermined length of said flexible lugs (9A, 9B) have been inserted into the opening (6), and
- iii) a body (8) to which the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) are connected, said body including a body opening (11) of predetermined contour that opens out between the flexible lugs (9A, 9B);
- and
- b) a second piece (30) having:
- i) a fixing foot (32) adapted to cooperate with the first piece (7) so that the fixing foot (32) can be inserted, from a free end thereof, through the body opening (11) whereby the article to be fixed (7, 30) is locked into the opening in the support as a result of the fixing foot (32) spreading the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) into a locking position with the support opening,
- ii) a snapping-in arrangement (45) located on the fixing foot to contact the lugs and thereby hold the second piece (30) on the first piece (7) when the article to be fixed is in the configuration of the locking position on the support, and
- iii) an element (31) to which the fixing foot (32) is connected by a second end, wherein each flexible lug (9A, 9B) has, on an external side thereof, a surface (12) inclined towards the outside and towards its free end to be engaged with the periphery of the opening (6) in the support (1) when the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) are separated from each other after having been inserted into the opening (6) in the support over the said predetermined length.
6 more elements
A fastener article adapted to be fixed blind on a support provided with an opening of predetermined contour, comprising:
- a) a first piece (7) having:
- i) two flexible lugs (9A, 9B) each structured, in the absence of any force acting thereon, over a predetermined length as measured from a free end thereof, to be inserted without effort into the opening (6) in the support (1), each lug being moveable in the opening into a position of locking on the support (1),
- ii) a stop (15) for bearing against the support (1) when the predetermined length of said flexible lugs (9A, 9B) have been inserted into the opening (6), and
- iii) a body (8) to which the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) are connected, said body including a body opening (11) of predetermined contour that opens out between the flexible lugs (9A, 9B);
- and
- b) a second piece (30) having:
- i) a fixing foot (32) adapted to cooperate with the first piece (7) so that the fixing foot (32) can be inserted, from a free end thereof, through the body opening (11) whereby the article to be fixed (7, 30) is locked into the opening in the support as a result of the fixing foot (32) spreading the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) into a locking position with the support opening,
- ii) a snapping-in arrangement (45) located on the fixing foot to contact the lugs and thereby hold the second piece (30) on the first piece (7) when the article to be fixed is in the configuration of the locking position on the support, and
- iii) an element (31) to which the fixing foot (32) is connected by a second end, wherein in the said snapping-in arrangement, which the second piece (30) has in order to be held on the first piece (7) when the article to be fixed is in the configuration of locking on the support, includes teeth (45) disposed at the end of the fixing foot, on the external side, adapted to be located beyond the fixing lugs (9A, 9B) when the article is in the locking position, and each having a stop surface (46) coming opposite the free end of a respective one of the said flexible lugs (9A, 9B).
6 more elements
A fastener article adapted to be fixed blind on a support provided with an opening of predetermined contour, comprising:
- a) a first piece (7) having:
- i) two flexible lugs (9A, 9B) each structured, in the absence of any force acting thereon, over a predetermined length as measured from a free end thereof, to be inserted without effort into the opening (6) in the support (1), each lug being moveable in the opening into a position of locking on the support (1),
- ii) a stop (15) for bearing against the support (1) when the predetermined length of said flexible lugs (9A, 9B) have been inserted into the opening (6), and
- iii) a body (8) to which the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) are connected, said body including a body opening (11) of predetermined contour that opens out between the flexible lugs (9A, 9B);
- and
- b) a second piece (30) having:
- i) a fixing foot (32) adapted to cooperate with the first piece (7) so that the fixing foot (32) can be inserted, from a free end thereof, through the body opening (11) whereby the article to be fixed (7, 30) is locked into the opening in the support as a result of the fixing foot (32) maintaining the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) into a locking position with the support opening,
- ii) a snapping-in arrangement (45) located on the fixing foot to contact the lugs and thereby hold the second piece (30) on the first piece (7) when the article to be fixed is in the configuration of the locking position on the support, and
- iii) an element (31) to which the fixing foot (32) is connected by a second end,
- wherein the said first and second pieces (7, 30) are formed with respective projections (10A, 10B, 44) adapted to engage each other in a waiting configuration in which the fixing foot on the second piece (30) is partially inserted through the body opening (11) in the first piece (7), and wherein the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) on the first piece (7) are in a position of rest, and wherein the projections include:
- on the first piece (7), flexible blades (10A, 10B) extending from the body (8) on the same side as the flexible lugs (9A, 9B), respectively on each side of the body opening (11), each flexible blade (10A, 10B) being provided on the inside with a tooth (21) situated close to the body (8);
- and
- on the second piece (30), two notches (44) disposed on each side of the fixing foot (32), close to its free end, in order to receive the teeth (21) of the flexible blades (10A, 10B).
10 more elements
A fastener article adapted to be fixed blind on a support provided with an opening of predetermined contour, comprising:
- a) a first piece (7) having:
- i) two flexible lugs (9A, 9B) each structured, in the absence of any force acting thereon, over a predetermined length as measured from a free end thereof, to be inserted without effort into the opening (6) in the support (1), each lug being moveable in the opening into a position of locking on the support (1),
- ii) a stop (15) for bearing against the support (1) when the predetermined length of said flexible lugs (9A, 9B) have been inserted into the opening (6), and
- iii) a body (8) to which the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) are connected, said body including a body opening (11) of predetermined contour that opens out between the flexible lugs (9A. 9B);
- and
- b) a second piece (30) having:
- i) a fixing foot (32) adapted to cooperate with the first piece (7) so that the fixing foot (32) can be inserted, from a free end thereof, through the body opening (11) whereby the article to be fixed (7, 30) is locked into the opening in the support as a result of the fixing foot (32) spreading the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) into a locking position with the support opening,
- ii) a snapping-in arrangement (45) located on the fixing foot to contact the lugs and thereby hold the second piece (30) on the first piece (7) when the article to be fixed is in the configuration of the locking position on the support, and
- iii) an element (31) to which the fixing foot (32) is connected by a second end, wherein the said first and second pieces (7, 30) are adapted to cooperate so that, from the locking position, the second piece (30) can pivot coaxially with respect to the first piece (7), into an unlocking configuration in which the fixing foot (32) on the second piece (30) allows the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) to move closer to each other to a rest position.
6 more elements
A fastener article adapted to be fixed blind on a support provided with an opening of predetermined contour, comprising:
- a) a first piece (7) having:
- i) two flexible lugs (9A, 9B) each structured, in the absence of any force acting thereon, over a predetermined length as measured from a free end thereof, to be inserted without effort into the opening (6) in the support (1), each lug being moveable in the opening into a position of locking on the support (1),
- ii) a stop (15) for bearing against the support (1) when the predetermined length of said flexible lugs (9A, 9B) have been inserted into the opening (6), and
- iii) a body (8) to which the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) are connected, said body including a body opening (11) of predetermined contour that opens out between the flexible lugs (9A, 9B);
- and
- b) a second piece (30) having:
- i) a fixing foot (32) adapted to cooperate with the first piece (7) so that the fixing foot (32) can be inserted, from a free end thereof, through the body opening (11) whereby the article to be fixed (7, 30) is locked into the opening in the support as a result of the fixing foot (32) maintaining the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) into a locking position with the support opening,
- ii) a snapping-in arrangement (45) located on the fixing foot to contact the lugs and thereby hold the second piece (30) on the first piece (7) when the article to be fixed is in the configuration of the locking position on the support, and
- iii) an element (31) to which the fixing foot (32) is connected by a second end,
- wherein the said first and second pieces (7, 30) are adapted to cooperate so that, from the locking position, the second piece (30) can pivot coaxially with respect to the first piece (7), into an unlocking configuration in which the fixing foot (32) on the second piece (30) allows the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) to move closer to each other to a rest position and wherein:
- the first piece (7) has, on each flexible lug (9A, 9B), on the inner side, a cam (16) extending over a predetermined length from the free end;
- the second piece (30) has a fixing foot having, over a predetermined length as from its free end, a part (36) having roughly an H cross section with a web (38) and two flanges (39), the external surfaces (41) of the flanges (39) being adapted to cooperate with the cams (16) in order to keep the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) separated in the locking configuration, each space delimited by the said web (38) and the said flanges (39) being adapted to receive a said cam (16) in the said unlocking configuration.
9 more elements
A fastener article adapted to be fixed blind on a support provided with an opening of predetermined contour, comprising:
- a) a first piece (7) having:
- i) two flexible lugs (9A, 9B) each structured, in the absence of any force acting thereon, over a predetermined length as measured from a free end thereof, to be inserted without effort into the opening (6) in the support (1), each lug being moveable in the opening into a position of locking on the support (1),
- ii) a stop (15) for bearing against the support (1) when the predetermined length of said flexible lugs (9A, 9B) have been inserted into the opening (6), and
- iii) a body (8) to which the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) are connected, said body including a body opening (11) of predetermined contour that opens out between the flexible lugs (9A, 9B);
- and
- b) a second piece (30) having:
- i) a fixing foot (32) adapted to cooperate with the first piece (7) so that the fixing foot (32) can be inserted, from a free end thereof, through the body opening (11) whereby the article to be fixed (7, 30) is locked into the opening in the support as a result of the fixing foot (32) spreading the flexible lugs (9A, 9B) into a locking position with the support opening,
- ii) a snapping-in arrangement (45) located on the fixing foot to contact the lugs and thereby hold the second piece (30) on the first piece (7) when the article to be fixed is in the configuration of the locking position on the support, and
- iii) an element (31) to which the fixing foot (32) is connected by a second end, wherein said element (31) forming part of the second piece (30) is a vehicle sun-visor hook.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.